Head of Projects

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Head of Projects Job Purpose:

The Head of Projects is responsible for the budget, processes and reporting for all projects and consultancy assignments, and ensuring that all projects are monitored and controlled effectively, with the objective of maximising profitability, on-time delivery, and quality.

The Head of Projects will work with the delivery community to promote a consistent and repeatable approach to project management, and use previous experience and knowledge to mentor and develop SFW’s project managers, work with the sales and commercial team pre-contract to ensure that the delivery commitments in our proposals are achievable.

The Head of Projects role also includes responsibilities for the Contract Management of SFW’s relationship with Acas. Acas is one of SFW’s largest and longest standing customers, and SFW provides Application Development and Application Support services for the majority of Acas’s IT systems. This element of the role is responsible for ensuring that the services are delivered in accordance with the contract, and for providing consolidated reporting of activities to Acas on a monthly basis.

Key responsibilities and duties

-Promote P&L reporting and governance for delivery projects, and refine as the process beds in across the organisation.

-Review project progress with project and delivery mangers on a monthly basis. For any projects in exception agree corrective actions and monitor through to completion.

-Ensure the senior management team are made aware of any significant project / delivery risks or disputes in a timely fashion, and take the lead in putting in place early mitigating actions

-Consolidation of project reports into reporting pack for the operational management team on a monthly basis. Ensure project managers meet their reporting timelines to feed into this process.

-Input to SFW’s wider budgeting / forecasting process.

-Promote the consistent use of tools & approaches across the project management community by working closely with the Software -Development Manager, Test Manager, and encouraging Project Managers to share experiences and lessons learnt.

-Update and take ownership of the project management competency matrix used as part of SFW’s appraisal process to promote the behaviours and capabilities expected of project managers at each level.

-Ensure adherence to SFWs ISO Management Framework for all project / delivery management activities

-Review key bids from a delivery perspective to ensure what is being proposed can realistically be achieved within the parameters defined in the proposal.

-Work with the sales team to develop standardised proposal content describing SFW’s delivery approach, and keep refining based on winning bids which result in successful projects.

-Assist in the recruitment and induction of project / delivery managers

The Head of Projects role also includes responsibilities for the Contract Management of SFW’s relationship with Acas; these include:

-Review progress on Acas projects and services with Project Managers and the Service Delivery manager on a regular basis, initiating corrective action where issues are identified, and monitor through to completion.

-Review time charged to Acas services each month, and provide a consolidated set of financial monthly reports to Acas in accordance with the contract.

-Work with the Acas IT department and business owners to forecast planned projects and upgrades to IT services, and feed resource requirements into the SFW resourcing function.

-Work with the SFW Acas account manager to generate a monthly reporting pack covering performance of projects and services against plan / SLA, and future plans. Attend monthly progress meeting with the account manager to present the monthly report.

-Work with Acas IT staff and Acas business owners to understand and shape new project and service requirements.

-Review proposals to Acas to ensure scope is clearly defined, and that estimates and schedule are realistic and achievable.

-Work with the SFW finance team to ensure the billing process is carried out in accordance with the contract, and to obtain the necessary authorisations and sign-offs from the customer in a timely fashion.

About You:

-Good team player and collaborative, with good influencing skills

-Strong organisational and planning skills

-Good at balancing multiple priorities, and prioritising time critical work

-Confident and comfortable in stressful / challenging situations with clients and suppliers

-Diplomatic - ability to say no without causing offence

-Calm under pressure

-Cultural awareness

This is an excellent opportunity to work within an organisation that is committed to staff welfare and employee relations.

Successful candidates will be subject to BPSS checks. Depending on the role undertaken, further National Vetting checks may be required.

Essential Skills and Experience:

-Broad hands on experience of delivery software projects using differing technologies and methodologies, including Waterfall and Agile working practices

-Proven project delivery success with £1m+ projects

-Experience of P&L reporting for projects

-Experience of budgeting, forecasting and reporting across multiple delivery streams

-Able to be the escalation point for clients and staff on all project matters

-Good client facing skills, with the ability to face off to customer and senior management teams

-Experience of working with both public sector and private sector clients

-Good commercial awareness

-Attention to detail, but also able to manage against the bigger picture

-Experience of working in a matrix type organisation

-Intellectually strong with an excellent academic record

-Proactive personality and able to work autonomously

Education:

The ideal candidate will have a good academic background with at least a 2.1 (equivalent alternative qualifications will be considered) or relevant experience.